but, cbs news correspondent clarissa ward was able to slip into syria. tonight, she speaks to a growing army of rebels fighting for their freedom. >> reporter: it was not a long drive, but our guides were taking no chances. past a government checkpoint, the car twisted along dark back roads outside the capital city damascus. after a certain point, we were blindfolded to protect the location of the safe house where we would find members of the free syrian army. they are former syrian soldiers. they say they refused orders to fire on their own countrymen and so decided to take up arms against the assad regime. the commander spoke off camera for his own security. he told us "we are fighting those who have made our children orphaned and our wives widows." he claimed that his men have carried out attacks on military targets around the capital-- the heart of assad's power base. no one knows just how large the free syrian army is. the number of defectors appears to be growing. in this video posted by the opposition, former syrian soldiers pledge to defend the s